thebrownman.com

Category: Food

  • Tradition

    The Wife and I decided to stay home this Christmas and start our own family traditions for the holidays. One tradition I wanted to keep was making tamales. Fortunately for us, her parents are here and were happy to show us how to make their tamales.

    This was WORK. All caps, bolded AND italicized. While I was elbow deep in masa, The Wife captured it all with our camera. I can’t wait to make them again.

    Meat (pork & beef), sauce, olives and masa.
    Meat (pork & beef), sauce, olives and masa.
    Game on.
    Game on.
    My first spread was a little on the thin side.
    My first spread was a little on the thin side.
    I like mine with a lot of meat.
    I like mine with a lot of meat.
    The first two tamales (mine is the little one in the back).
    The first two tamales (mine is the little one in the back).
    Getting down to business.
    Getting down to business.
    First batch (roughly two dozen) ready for the pot. It took us (mostly me) an hour to create these.
    First batch (roughly two dozen) ready for the pot. It took us (mostly me) an hour to create these.
    Parchment paper - a nice little tip from the mother in law to help keep the tamales from drying out.
    Parchment paper – a nice little tip from the mother in law to help keep the tamales from drying out.
    Into the pot!
    Into the pot!
    Back to work, no time to waste.
    Back to work, no time to waste.
    Final product. They weren't as good as my mother in law usually makes them but they were still pretty damn fine; not too much masa, plenty of meat and not dried out. LIKE A BOSS.
    Final product. They weren’t as good as my mother in law usually makes them but they were still pretty damn fine; not too much masa, plenty of meat and not dried out. LIKE A BOSS.

  • My favorite pics from the month of August

    The month of August brought much needed rains, the rodeo, a triathlon, more concert in the parks, the start of the school year and the first football game for the high school. Here are 16 of my favorites from this month. -sz

    Lightning strikes just beyond North Mesa during a thunderstorm August 2nd, 2012.
    Protestors hold a sit in during an anti-nukes rally in Los Alamos.
    Veteran Ken Mayers lights peace lanterns at an anti-nukes rally in Los Alamos.
    A young girl devours a turkey leg at Ashley Pond during the Gordons’ Summer Concert Series.
    Contestant Kirsten Taylor settles onto her bull during the Los Alamos County Rodeo.
    Bull rider Clay Adams holds on to his bull in front of a packed Brewer Arena at the Los Alamos County Rodeo.
    Two boys watch the action at the Los Alamos County Rodeo.
    Carolyn Wonderland entertains a summer crowd as part of the Gordons’ Summer Concert Series.
    Carolyn Wonderland drummer Rob Hooper sings backup.
    Cyclists take off from the starting line during the 38th annual Los Alamos Triathlon.
    Los Alamos High School cheerleaders pump up a crowd at a concert. The cheerleaders introduced the Los Alamos High School Football team.
    A young boy is mesmerized by Beatles cover band, Yellow Dubmarine. Yellow Dubmarine played Ashley Pond as part of the Gordons’ Summer Concerts series.
    Yellow Dubmarine guitarist, Jonathan Sloane, closes out the night with a solo.
    Parents try to locate their child’s hand drawn portrait during Open House Night at Barranca Mesa elementary school.
    Running back, Arnaldo Ortiz, runs for a gain during the Los Alamos High School Football season opener versus Pojoaque Valley High School.
    Los Alamos High School Football coach Garett Williams reviews plays during the opening game of the season.

  • Cooking dinner 2011-08-10

    One of the benefits of being home during the day is being able to make dinner. Last night’s dinner came from two places: an arugula salad from Mark Bittman and barbecue chicken from Serious Eats.

    Barbecue chicken with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.
    Strawberry and Arugala Salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
    Sourdough toast with chevre (soft goat cheese), tomato slices and avocado. Salt and pepper to taste.

     

    Plate of goodness.
    Chicken tastes better with charred bits.
    Normally I don't like strawberries but they tasted great at the Co-Op.
    The toast was my idea. Chevre tastes a lot like cream cheese. But more goaty.

     

     

     

  • More Grub at Square One

    Grub crawl 2011 continues with breakfast at Square One. It’s on the expensive side but the food is really fresh and damn tasty.

    All day means 8:00am – 3:00pm.
    Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso is the brew of choice.
    Cranberry and Orange scone.
    Eggs Benedict on their house bread.
    Steak, eggs, toast and potatoes.

  • Happy fun times in San Diego

    The wife and I spent the weekend in San Diego hanging with Wendy, Jeff and Tess. Good times had by all.

    The view from Jeff's apartment.
    From the top of Mt. Soledad.
    Wendy with eyes only for her man.
    The cross atop Mt. Soledad.
    Watching seals in La Jolla.
    Watching seals in La Jolla
    Basking.
    Wendy and Jeff off in their own world.
    At Balboa Park to meet Tess.
    Outside the Museum of Man
    The sisters Monreal.
    Drinks in Ocean Beach.
    Fish tacos in Ocean Beach.
    The longest pier on the West coast!
    Jeff looking for tide pools.
    Wendy and Jeff sharing a moment.
    The wife!
    Mari and Tess.
    A sailboat off on the horizon.
    As advertised.
    B.L.A.H.
    Kind of like a Zima with a kick in the nuts.
    All smiles.
    Sisters!
    Ah, Normal heights, thanks for the good times.
    At Lucha Libre.
    A plethora of salsas.
    Like all good things, "Hecho en Mexico".
    Asada.
    Breakfast at The Mission in North Park.
    Wendy ordered the bling.
    Coronado bridge.
    At the Hotel Del Coronado.
    Cat made out of sand on the street outside the Hotel Del Coronado seconds before a bus parked on it.
    In Encenitas for late lunch.
    More beer!